Endlessly
by Namibean
Summary: How Demon Sanji (from One Piece Tokyo Tower costumes) came about... Sanji is the main focus of this story. If you haven't read to ch 880 then the very beginning may be a spoiler. This is a story for the ophalloween event on Tumblr, Prompt: Immortal/Undead
1. The End

What if... at the end of ch 880...

* * *

"Hello? I'm sorry, Luffy…" Nami stared up at Big Mom riding the giant wave that would soon be crashing down on the Sunny. Tears began to blur her vision and fear struck her heart. "I think we might be done for…"

…

Inside the sweets factory on Cacao Island, Sanji was busy mixing the ingredients for the filling of the wedding cake that would save his friends from Big Mom. It had to be perfect. Anything less would risk them being obliterated. Suddenly a cold shock of fear struck his heart… That was strange. He wasn't afraid of anything at the moment. Then it hit him: _Nami-san!_

The cook immediately abandoned his station and made his way towards the factory exit. "Where are you going, Mr. Husband?" One of Whole Cake Island's finest chefs ran after him. Pudding took her eyes off of her chocolate to see what was going on. Chiffon noticed the commotion as well.

"I need to go!" Sanji looked from Pudding to Chiffon. "Nami-san is in danger!"

"Sanji-san… How can you be sure? Aren't they all in danger at the moment?" Pudding approached her 'husband'. She didn't like how concerned he was about that cat burglar.

"Something is wrong, I just know it… I can feel it."

"But Black Leg," Chiffon joined the small group. "If she really is in danger now, how are you going to get to her in time?"

Sanji frowned. Lola's twin sister had a point. "Pudding-chan, I need to borrow the magic carpet," he decided. Not waiting for a response, he grabbed Rabiyan and took off towards the door again.

"Sanji-san, wait!" Pudding cried desperately. He ignored her plea and continued on his way. Then a more sinister voice called to him, "Stop right there or I'll shoot, Sanji-!" He still didn't turn around. "…-san. "

"I know you won't do it, Pudding-chan," Sanji waved away the threat, not bothering to look back at her. He unraveled Rabiyan. "I need to hurry and save Nami-san!" There was a click, then a bang. Not even a second later, the cook felt an object penetrate his back and rip out through his chest. The projectile continued its journey until it lodged into the factory door in front of him. … _A bullet?_ Looking down, he saw his white groom's outfit rapidly turning red. _Well, fuck._

Collapsing to the ground, Sanji became vaguely aware of the scene his former bride had caused. Chefs were running away in fear. Chiffon-chan was yelling in shock. Pudding-chan had run up to him, screaming, "Kyaa! Sanji-san! Are you okay?!" Then her voice transformed again, "You deserved it, you bastard! No one else can have you, Sanji…" Tears poured out of all three eyes and she added, "…-san. "

Soon his hearing began to fade and Pudding's split personality conversation became a soft muffle. _Thank God! I needed some peace from her._ Sanji closed his eyelids. They felt so heavy. His breath was shallow. In his last moments, his thoughts went to the crew. _Nami-san… Luffy… Everyone… I'm sorry. You'll have to find another cook. My journey ends here._


	2. Bury It

_A/N: I've been listening to Muse's album Absolution while writing this. It's one of my favorites. ^^v_

* * *

Blue eyes opened with a start and stared into darkness. The scent of soaked walnut was heavy around him. _Where am I?_ Sanji went to rub his eyes only for his hand to knock against a hard surface closely surrounding him. He pressed his open palm against the damp polished wood. An immensely cold pressure was pushing back from the other side. _Where the hell am I?! In a casket?!_ In a panic, he tried to kick at the container. His limbs were stiff, but he still managed to crack the lid open.

Icy black water flooded in, forcing the casket completely open. Holding his breath, Sanji looked around in the inky water. Nothing… At least nothing he could see with his usual vision. His Observation Haki told him that there were several giant sea kings lurking around him. He needed to get out of there, but he was so deep under the surface, would he even be able to make it before running out of breath?

Using blue walk, the cook made an effort to survive. On his way closer to the light filtering down from the surface, his pace slowed. With enough light in the water to see, he came across a school of rainbow trout native to the North Blue. Did someone try to dump him in the sea where he was born? The answer was no, because as soon as he moved further up, he came across blue-striped swordfish from South Blue. _… What?_ Swimming all around him were various fish and sea creatures from all four seas in the world. _All Blue?!_ He was in the middle of All Blue?! It wasn't under the best circumstances, but he finally found his dream?!

Sanji was so distracted by all of the fish that he forgot that he still needed air. That was when he noticed that he wasn't feeling the normal pressure to take a breath. He was a good swimmer, but no one could hold their breath for that long... unless they were a fishman and didn't need to breathe. The cook looked at his hands. No webs between the fingers, but his right hand had a very nasty burn scar covering most of it. He was no fishman. That was certain. Out of curiosity, he swam towards the top at a more leisurely pace. Still no pressure, no suffocation, no drowning. Reaching the surface, he took a deep breath and quickly realized that he didn't need to. His lungs felt no different above water than they did below. What the hell happened to him?

It was night but the sky was still lit up enough by the moon and stars for Sanji to see a ship in the distance. He had already exerted quite a bit of energy swimming to the surface from the bottom of the sea, but he didn't feel tired. Without a second thought, he began to swim towards the vessel. After setting a comfortable pace, his mind began to wander. Who would've put him in a casket and dumped him in All Blue? Why was he even in a casket in the first place? Then it came to him. The last thing he remembered was being shot by Pudding-chan. The bullet went straight through his heart… Did he die?!

An unsettling wave of anxiety passed over the cook. He wouldn't be able to figure anything out while swimming in the sea. Fed up, he sprung out of the water and took off with a sky walk towards the ship.

…

Landing with a light step on the rail and then hopping to the deck, Sanji took a quick observation. He immediately noted that the ship was abandoned. It resembled the ghost ship that Brook was riding on when the crew met him. _The crew…_ The sails were in tatters. One of the masts was broken in half, the missing upper half most likely rotting in the sea somewhere. If there was any food on the ship, it had definitely gone bad by now… Yet, the cook didn't really feel hungry anyway.

Maybe there would be some salvageable clothing? Removing his suit jacket, the blond noticed that he was wearing his favorite suit. It was his favorite because it was Nami-san's favorite. The crew seemed to agree if they decided to bury him in it. _The crew…_ Did they send him to a watery grave in All Blue on purpose? Did they abandon him on purpose?! Those assholes! How dare they think he was dead. … But he was dead… wasn't he?

An animalistic growl erupted from his throat as he shook out his wet blond hair in frustration. His hands hit two objects on the sides of his head. _What the…?!_ He ran his fingers along the solid appendages until he reached the pointed tip of each one. Horns! Sanji pulled at one and his head followed in the same direction. They were definitely attached. _No way!_ No way could he…!

"So you finally managed to wake up," a weathered voice came from a hooded figure across the deck. Sanji instinctively snarled then flinched at his own reaction. The dark man chuckled. "What's wrong? You don't recognize your dear friend who got you another life?!" He got up and glided unnaturally across the deck towards the blond man. A skeleton hand with long, bony fingers stretched out from under the cloak. "Let me jog your memory," the figure said as he tapped the cook on the forehead.


	3. Eroded

A posthumous memory flooded back into Sanji's mind. The comments from Pudding-chan faded into a soft muffle, then silence. His final thoughts, _…Nami-san… Luffy… Everyone_ … _I'm sorry. You'll have to find another cook. My journey ends here._ Then the cold, callous hand of Death rested on his shoulder and proceeded to rip his soul from his body. Sanji felt the strange splitting sensation from his corpse. "I thought I wasn't supposed to feel anything after death," he commented with a grimace. It was a very uncomfortable experience.

"At least you know you're dead," the cloaked figure replied. "That saves me from having to give you the annoyingly mundane explanation." The cook only half-heard. He was too engrossed in staring at his unmoving corpse. The blood from the wound in his chest continued to flow out across the factory floor. "Hey, kid," the man called. "You're not going to want to be here to see the disgusting stuff that happens to the body after death. It ain't pretty!"

Sanji frowned. "Nami-san…" he mumbled. Looking at the shadowy figure, he voiced his concern, "I was going to save Nami-san!"

"Nah, it ain't her time yet," Death replied.

"I can't leave her," Sanji directly stated.

"You want me to kill her?" The figure coldly offered with a laugh. The cook wasn't amused. "You've got an unhealthy devotion to that woman, you know that?" Sanji frowned again and nodded in agreement. The man was right. Not even death could stop him from thinking about her safety.

"Ehh, damnit!" the cloaked figure moaned as it shook its head. "Maybe we can work out some deal with the devil," he explained as he grabbed the blond by the shoulder. "You're lucky I'm a hopeless romantic!"

…

"Diable jambe, huh," a young man with black horns commented while flipping through what looked like a dossier of Sanji's life. He sat behind a large mahogany desk in a darkly lit "office". His jet-black hair was slicked back similar to Yonji's style. Sanji immediately didn't like him. "You could've rested in peace, you know," the devil mused. "What the hell is so important to return back to the shithole of the living?"

"Love," the cook replied.

"Pffftt!" the devil scoffed at him. "Love? What the _fuck_ is that?!" He spun around in his office chair while giggling hysterically. Sanji thought he looked even more like a spoiled brat. Then the devil abruptly stopped to face the cook again. "You know who had it right," he remarked while pointing a slender finger at Sanji. His black fingernails resembled claws. "That Pudding chick!" he exclaimed. "Sentimentality is full of shit! You should've married that bitch, Black Leg Sanji!" He laughed again and added, "But she killed you, so that's kind of the same thing!"

 _That shitty little…_ The blond lit a cigarette to calm his temper. Even in the afterlife, he still kept his habits. He took a deep inhale. Assholes like this guy reminded him of the Marimo. They only set out to be dicks and piss people off. "Whatever," Sanji coolly replied, blowing out a stream of smoke. "Are you going to help me or not?"

The devil smirked back at him. "Yeah… I think we can manage something." He snapped his fingers and a contract appeared on the desk in front of him. "You're not going to be your human self again. No one gets that sort of mortal second life," he warned. " **But** you can go back into your body. You're just going to be a bit… different," he chuckled at the last word.

Raising a curled eyebrow at the little shit, Sanji questioned, "Different how?" Then he glanced down at the contract. "A demon?!" The devil nodded. The cook continued to read out loud, " _'… Must feed on the souls of the living at least once a week to maintain health. This is achieved by putting the prey to sleep and biting into the carotid artery. Depending on how strong the prey is, this may cause paralysis or death.'_ Shit…"

"That's not all of it," the devil darkly commented. His hands were steepled in front of his mouth in amusement.

" _'…_ _Must create a partner or apprentice within 3 months of awakening, or…'_ " Sanji's voice trailed off in horror.

The devil giggled manically. "Trust me, you're going to want to make it her. Otherwise, I'll be keeping her to myself."

"Now look here, you son of a bitch!" Sanji slammed his hands down on the desk. He didn't even have time to blink before his right hand was being scalded by a demonic grip.

"Don't threaten me, Vinsmoke Sanji," a monstrous voice growled at him. The young man's face had transformed into something much more sinister. The fangs alone were enough to terrify anyone. "I wouldn't mind torturing her for eternity just for the hell of it." An unnatural laugh resounded from the evil deity's throat. "I heard she's quite the fiery type. I wonder how long it would take for me to break her."

"Bastard!" Sanji muttered through gritted teeth. He was on his knees now. The pain searing through his hand was beyond unbearable.

"Just sign the damn contract," the devil said. His face was deadly serious. Placing a quill pen into the cook's right hand, he brought the tip down to the signature line of the contract. "Try to fucking prove to me that love lasts forever," the young man challenged. "That is, if she feels the same!" Still in the demon's grasp, Sanji's hand moved to create some resemblance of his signature.

Releasing his grip on the cook's hand, the devil took the contract and rolled it up until it completely disappeared. "Great! Pleasure doing business with you." His face had returned to that of a young man. He grabbed Sanji by the lapel of his groom's suit and shoved with great force to send him flying back to his body. "Have fun transforming! It takes some time…"

…

Blue eyes opened again to see the night sky above him. Sanji was lying on his back on the deck of the ghost ship. His arms and legs were spread out in a corpse pose. "How long did it take?" he questioned. His voice had an unnaturally dark tone to it now.

"About a year," Death replied. "Your crew found All Blue in your honor. They gave you a burial at sea." He chuckled, "That's why it took so long for you to transform. You were pretty decomposed by then. You almost resembled that musician."

"Brook," Sanji corrected him and frowned. "So did they find another cook?"

"Do you really want to know?" the shadowy figure quipped.

"No." Sanji answered. Stiffly moving his limbs, he got to his feet. Looking at his right hand, he surveyed the burn scar. "So that's where that came from," he commented absentmindedly. He looked to the dark man again, "How long do I have to find a partner?"

"Three months from today," the cloaked figure said with a laugh. "Aren't you going to choose that cat burglar?"

"I could never harm a woman," the cook reaffirmed his code. "That especially includes killing Nami-san."

"She'll meet a fate much worse than that if you don't pick her," Death warned.

Sanji paused. That was very true. "Well…" he reasoned, "I'll have to at least discuss it with her first."


	4. Gotten

2 months and 3 weeks later…

The devil knew what he was doing when he gave Sanji only three months to find a partner. At first the cook thought it was more than enough time to find Nami. He suspected that she was in her old village in East Blue, but traveling from All Blue to Cocoyashi would take nearly the full amount of time allotted.

At least the travel allowed him time to practice his new powers. The most difficult to master was his feeding technique. Even with a week between meals, Sanji found himself pushing his limit to find "souls of the living" at sea. His first attempt to feed ended up being a complete mess. The poor unfortunate bastard he fed off of, some loser from a pirate crew called The Barto Club, ended up with a broken neck. It wasn't a memory the cook wanted to keep. Quite a few weeks had passed since then, though, and he hadn't had any mishaps since that first time.

It had been years since Sanji had last seen Cocoyashi. Not much had changed, aside from the general happiness of the townspeople and the rebuilt houses and shops. It was daylight and while the blond could wander around in sunlight, he knew his horns would attract unwanted attention. He had tried to cover them up before with various hats, but none ever fit him right due to the position of the appendages. So he stuck to the shadows instead, trying to stay inconspicuous.

It was 1pm, four hours after the blond arrived in the village. He decided to stay under an overhang of one of the buildings in the corner of the town square. It seemed that all of the villagers were passing through at one point or another. If Nami-san was in fact there now, she would most likely pass through as well. Sanji lit a cigarette to calm his nerves. He was anxious to see her, but even more so to let her know the danger she was in. Would she even be willing to listen to a dead man?

While thinking about his question, a woman with ginger hair passed by him and continued to walk through the square. It was over a year since he last saw her, but he knew her measurements by heart, and he had no trouble seeing them under the loose fit of her sky blue sundress. … _Loose fit?_ The dress showed off her long legs, but the way in hung on her body, it almost seemed like she was trying to hide her curves. That was different from her usual style. Then Sanji noticed what the former navigator was carrying in her arms. A shopping bag of groceries and… a baby with black hair?!

The cigarette nearly fell from the cook's lips. Nami-san… Nami-san had a baby? _Whose baby?_ Who was the father?! Was he her husband?! The leather glove covering his right hand scrunched as he clenched his fist. What was he expecting? No one would expect her to wait around for a dead crewmate. Even if she was married and had a family now, he still needed to warn her. It had to be done.

Following her home, Sanji was surprised that she still lived in the same house she previously shared with Nojiko Onee-sama. Nami was in the kitchen washing dishes. The groceries were put away. The baby was laid down for a nap. And a demon snuck into the room without a sound. The former navigator dried a glass with a towel. Turning to put it away in the cupboard, she was startled by the man in front of her. She gasped, dropping the glass, and was on the verge of screaming. Too fast for her eyes to see, Sanji caught the glass in his left hand. Then he wrapped his left arm around her waist to hold her close as his right hand gently covered her mouth. Her brown eyes stared at him in terror. It nearly broke his heart. "Shhh, shhh," he tried to comfort her, but the dark tone in his voice almost sounded malicious. Desperate, he whispered, "I could never hurt you, Nami-san." _I just want to murder you and turn you into a demon so that I can keep you forever_ , he thought. She blinked and he felt her breathing slow in his arms. Her right hand that was balled into a fist against his chest relaxed. She spread her open palm where his now still heart was. No heartbeat. Curiosity and disbelief replaced the fear in her eyes. Her left hand covered his right and he allowed her to peel it away from her mouth. He wished he could feel her breath against his fingertips.

"Sanji-kun…?" she questioned. He nearly cried at the sound of her voice. She reached up and touched his cheek. He was real. "What happened to you?"

…

The two crewmates sat at the kitchen table having tea. Well, Nami had tea. Sanji only held onto a cup because he enjoyed the warmth. Taking a sip, the navigator was still in disbelief even after hearing the barebones of what happened to Sanji. "So…" she awkwardly attempted to break the silence. "This Death guy… What's he like?"

"He's rough, but he's alright," Sanji replied. He wasn't ready to give her all of the details yet. With some apprehension, he switched topics. "So… the baby," he paused. "Whose is it?"

Nami smiled to herself. "Luffy's…"

Sanji felt like he had been punched in the gut. "Uh-Umm…" he interrupted her before she could finish. "S-So, you and uh… Luffy, huh…" Nami shook her head and giggled. "I.. I guess I should've known," Sanji continued. "I mean… Ever since he gave you his hat in Arlong Park, there's been all of these hints and everything…" Nami started outright laughing.

"Sanji-kun, stop!" she was crying from laughing so hard. "I have to catch my breath!" He had a confused expression on his face. "'Luffy' is the baby's name," she clarified. "Nojiko named him after our captain because he helped save this town from Arlong." Amused, she reached out for his gloved hand. "Do you honestly think that me and Luffy would've…" she couldn't even finish her sentence without giggling.

The cook blinked. If he still had the ability to blush, his face would be completely red with embarrassment. "So you and Luffy didn't…"

"No! God, no!" Nami laughed again. "I love him just as much as you do, but me marry Luffy? I would have either ended up crazy or killing him… or both!"

Somewhat relieved, Sanji smiled. He loved hearing her laugh again. It had been so long since he heard it. Looking down in thought, he quietly asked, "Well, then… Is there anyone that you…?" He couldn't say it. He was too afraid she would say "yes."

"No," she replied with a sad smile. "I couldn't move on…" She looked away to hide her tears. Taking a breath, she continued, "After you died, Pudding traveled with us to the Reverie. Part of the crew wanted her to replace you." She squeezed his hand. "I didn't want her to… because I could never forgive her for killing you."

"So… What happened?" He noticed she was starting to tremble.

Biting her lip, she answered, "Thankfully Luffy agreed with me. So we parted ways with her there."

"And you found another cook after that?" he asked.

"No…" she shook her head. "We took turns cooking after that." Unable to hold her tears, she started to cry. "We still had your cooking through your notes and recipes, but it wasn't the same without you, Sanji-kun." The cook quickly got up and pulled Nami to her feet. Holding her, he felt her tears soak into his coat. Her voice was muffled against his chest. "I don't understand why you came back, or why you're here," she sobbed. "Just please don't leave again. It hurt too much the first time."

Frowning, Sanji brought his left hand to the back of her neck, using just enough of his magic to calm her. He immediately felt her body relax. "Nami-san," he said quietly, "I have something to tell you… but I don't know how to say it."

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you for reading so far! ^^ Music for this chapter is Gotten - Slash feat. Adam Levine_


	5. Falling

_"_ _Nami-san, I have something to tell you… but I don't know how to say it."_

Sedated by Sanji's touch at the back of her neck, Nami slowly pulled her face away from his chest and looked up at him. Her eyes were slightly puffy and her nose pink from crying. Without her usual heels, she noticed how much taller he really was compared to her. "Whatever it is, Sanji-kun, just say it," she said sleepily. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she mumbled, "You can tell me."

Sanji froze. It seemed that he made her a bit too relaxed. Panicking, he tried to remember how long prey remained sedated, but it depended on how much power he used. For Nami-san to be acting like this, it could take 30 minutes to an hour… Not good, especially if she was supposed to be taking care of her baby nephew. As his mind was running a mile a minute, the former navigator pulled herself up on her tip-toes and suddenly kissed him. He stood completely still in shock.

The action seemed to sober Nami up a little. Pulling her lips away from his, she apologized, "Sorry… I…" she stumbled for an explanation. "I just… I always wanted to—" Sanji cut her off by bringing his mouth to hers. He doubted that she would ever understand. Hell, he didn't fully understand himself. But she had awoken something and he wasn't sure if he would be able to control it. There was a deep-seeded hunger rapidly growing inside him. It was nothing like his usual cravings he had experienced since his awakening.

Moving to her neck, he felt her pulse beneath his lips. The salt of her skin was on the tip of his tongue. Sanji wanted her more than he ever did in his mortal life. There was an overwhelming urge to claim her as his own. The last threads of his human consciousness were slipping. Holding her neck in place with his left hand, his mouth opened, baring his fangs. His lips hovered near her throat, ready to strike… until he heard her sigh. "Sanji-kun…" she whispered.

With lightning quick speed, he pushed her away from him to hold her at arms' length. His face was down to avoid her seeing him in that state. Out of habit, he took deep breaths to calm his urges. "Nami-san…" his voice was strained. "I love you so much that I couldn't let you go." He finally managed to look at her. His blue eyes were filled with a mixture of desire and sadness. "That's why I came back. That's why I'm here."

Confused, Nami shook her head. "I don't understand."

There was no trace of humor in his features. Sanji was telling the truth. Decidedly, he got down on one knee in front of her. "Nami-san, I want you to be my partner… my companion…" He took a breath, "my wife… for eternity."

Nami stared at him. "…What?!"

…

"K-Kill me?!" the former navigator said in surprise. Sanji had finally explained what his proposal meant. It was an overwhelming amount of information to take in. "So… my choices are to let you kill me and I'll be tied to you forever as a demon…" she voiced her options. "Or… allow you to become incinerated for not finding a partner in time, and whenever I die, I'll become some plaything for the devil for all eternity?!" Sanji nodded in response. The navigator looked as if she was about to throw up. She paced back and forth in the kitchen while holding her abdomen. "What the hell?!" She finally yelled, "How could you do this to me, Sanji-kun?!"

He stood in front of her with his head hung in shame. "I just wanted to protect you," he explained.

"Protect me from what?! The devil?!" she replied. "He wouldn't have even been a threat if you hadn't gone to see him! What about _my_ choice?! What about _my_ life?! You're the one who got me into this mess!"

"I didn't know he would…" Sanji choked on his words. Nami-san had a point. This was entirely his fault. His selfishness had jeopardized her freedom, and now she hated him as a result.

"I'm going to need some time to think about this," she said quietly.

"Nami-san, we don't have much time," Sanji warned.

"I thought you said he gave you three months?! How much of that is left?" she questioned.

"Just the remainder of the week," he revealed.

"Son of a bitch!" she slapped Sanji out of frustration. It reminded her of the moment she slapped him after his fight with Luffy. That was so long ago… They never had the chance to reconcile after that. Tears filled her eyes again.

The cook continued to look away. He couldn't face her. The force behind her slap didn't injure him, but he still felt the pain in his heart. "I'll give you until tonight to decide," his dark voice was soft. He gently grabbed her right hand that had slapped him. Placing his lips against her palm, he numbed away the sting. "I love you," he confessed, "and I'm sorry." With a small rush of air, he was gone. Baby Luffy started crying in the other room. Nami wiped away her tears and left the kitchen to tend to her nephew.

…

Sanji spent the remainder of the afternoon at Bell-mere's grave. He sat on the grassy cliff, staring out at East Blue. The pinwheel marking the grave spun in the breeze. Picking up a flat stone, the cook threw it with great force. The rock skipped across the waves for quite a distance until finally sinking into the sea.

"Bell-mere-san," he murmured, remembering the name of the mother figure Nami had mentioned before. He wasn't sure if he could talk to ghosts, but it was worth a shot. "I don't know if you can hear me. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for getting Nami-san involved in this. I only wanted to protect her. I never intended to put her in even more danger."

There was the scent of tobacco and Sanji heard a sigh behind him. A rough female voice replied to him, "We do stupid things when we're in love… you little shit." He smiled. "I know you have a good heart, Sanji," she continued. "Not only has your mother told me so, but I've also seen it myself."

The cook's eyes opened wide in surprise. "My… mom?"

"Yeah…" she confirmed. "And neither one of us can figure out what the hell you were thinking when you made that deal." Bell-mere exhaled, blowing cigarette smoke upwards. "Was it really that difficult to wait for her? You couldn't let her live out the remainder of her life? Why would you kill her?!"

"That… That's if she'll pick me," he clarified.

"Idiot!" A tangerine hit the back of his head. "Of course she's going to pick you! She's been in love with you for so long, it's ridiculous!" Sanji gasped. Bell-mere huffed in frustration, "You just promise me that you won't break her heart or I will haunt you for the rest of your immortal life!"

Rubbing the back of his head where the tangerine hit him, Sanji nodded and smiled. "Yes, ma'am."


	6. Possessed

Night came. The moon was full. Sanji paced back and forth in the tangerine grove outside Nami's house while waiting for everyone to go to sleep. His hands were shaking as he fumbled with his lighter. _Why am I getting so nervous?!_ Finally managing to light a cigarette, he took a drag and exhaled with relief. "You worried about something, kid?" The gravelly voice had become all too familiar over the past three months.

"Not at all," the cook replied, trying to act cool. The last thing he needed was Death heckling him before a possible heartbreaking rejection. _Wait a minute!_ Sanji's ears perked up. Looking back over his shoulder, he eyed the shadowy figure. "What are you doing here?"

The dark man chuckled, "I'm curious to see how the cat burglar is going to respond. Besides…" He glided over to Sanji and spoke in a hushed voice, "I figured you would probably want to know how to do this."

The cook stared at him in panic. He had no clue. "Tell me, please."

…

After midnight, Sanji snuck into Nami's bedroom through an open window. The former navigator was tossing and turning in her sleep. The blond couldn't see into her dreams, but he knew she was having a nightmare. Something told him that it was about the situation he put her in. He kept an eye on her as he locked the door. Removing his shoes and suit jacket, he approached the bed. Hesitantly, he got under the covers. Her expression became more distressed.

"Nami-san," he whispered. He brought his left hand to her cheek in an attempt to comfort her, but his icy touch only made it worse. The whimpering began to build into something louder. Before she could scream, Sanji covered her mouth with his. The terrified cry died against his lips and he felt her wake up underneath him.

"Sanji-kun," she said softly as he pulled his mouth away from hers. Large brown eyes blinked up at him. Her fingers lightly touched the back of his hand on her cheek. "Sanji-kun, you're so cold."

"Ah, sorry…" he went to remove his hand. Nami grabbed it with her right and kept it in place. Leaning her face into his touch, she kissed his palm. Sanji shivered. It was an unfamiliar sensation. "Na-Nami-san," he managed to say before she began to kiss his fingertips. He let out an unsteady sigh. It was fortunate that he no longer had blood coursing through his veins. Otherwise he would've ended up having a nosebleed. "N-Nami-san," he closed his eyes and tried to piece together his thoughts, but they were completely scattered by the warmth of her mouth as she sucked his index finger.

A low growl rumbled in his throat and he felt the demon inside him start to take over. Grazing her neck with his lips, he smiled at the sound of her gasp. "Does this mean you made your decision?" he asked in a deep tone. His cool breath numbed the area. He could feel her heart beating fast under his chest.

"Will it… hurt?" she said between breaths. Nami fought to remain conscious despite Sanji sedating her with his powers.

"I'll try to make it as painless as possible," the cook replied. Tilting her head back, he exposed her throat. The softness of her fair skin was tempting. Sanji felt his craving for her return full force and bared his fangs. Unable to hold back, he bit into her neck.

 _Heaven…_ No, not even heaven could begin describe it. She was sweeter than any dessert he made in his lifetime. _Mine._ Blue eyes closed in euphoria. His body pressed down on top of hers to prevent her from going anywhere. _Mine._ When his eyes opened again, they were burning red.

"Sanji-kun, it hurts," Nami whispered, but he didn't let up. Something was wrong. "Sanji-kun, please… stop," she cried. He was as solid as a stone on top of her. Survival instincts took over and she started to beat at his back with her right hand, but her strength was failing. It was draining away along with her life.

With a grunt, Sanji grabbed her wrist and pinned it to the bed. Any trace of his human self was gone, completely overruled by his demonic appetite. A guttural moan came from him as he continued to devour her soul.

Nami struggled to keep her eyes open. Her breathing became shallow. Tears rolled down the side of her face. She managed to hang onto his torso with her free hand. "I know… you can't… hear me… Sanji-kun," her voice was barely a whisper. "It's okay… It's okay like this…" She smiled, "I forgive you… because…" Her eyes closed and she let go.

 _"…_ _because I love you…"_

…

 _"_ _So I don't just bite her?" Sanji questioned._

 _"_ _If that were the case, then everyone you've fed on would be a demon," Death replied with a dark laugh. "Nah, it's more complicated than that. You've got to drain her within an inch of her life without killing her."_

 _"_ _A-And then…?" Sanji swallowed. Remembering how much he wanted her earlier in the kitchen, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop._

 _"_ _Lick the wound closed when you're done," the cloaked figure continued his instruction. "She'll die on her own within a day or two, depending on how strong she is."_

 _Sanji frowned at the thought of Nami-san dying. "Will she have to face the devil?"_

 _"_ _No, her soul won't be going anywhere," Death explained. "Within about three days of them burying her, she'll awaken as a demon."_

 _"_ _It won't take her a year?"_

 _The shadowed man laughed at the blond. "Her corpse is still fresh. She won't need that long. So…" he challenged Sanji, "do you think you're up for it?"_

 _"_ _I'll do it!" the cook said with conviction._

…

In the early hours right before dawn, Sanji awoke. His eyes blinked and came into focus. _A bedroom…?_ That was right! He was going to turn Nami-san last night. "Nami-san," he mumbled. He looked down to find the redhead in his arms. Her skin was paler than usual. "Nami-san," the cook repeated. Pushing her hair away from her face, she was still. No movement. No breath. No heartbeat.

With a gasp, Sanji flew out of the bed and across the room until his back was against the wall. His left hand clamped over his mouth. _She's dead?!_ Tears stung his eyes. _I killed her!_ He slowly approached the bed and kneeled on the floor. "I killed Nami-san…" he whispered. Reaching for her lifeless hand, he recoiled for a moment. Her skin felt as cold as his. Slowly, he interlaced her fingers with his. "How did this happen?!"

"I'll tell you what happened! You fucked it up, kid!" Death was in the corner of the room. He didn't sound happy. "What was the point of describing everything to you last night if you were gonna kill her anyways?! Why the hell did you waste my time?!"

"I-I didn't plan to…" Sanji's voice trailed off. "All I remember is biting into her and then…" he took a breath. "Then… everything went black."

"You let the demon side of you take control," the cloaked figure explained.

Sanji ran his thumb across one of her knuckles. In pain, he forced himself to ask, "Where did she go?"

"Take a fucking guess!" Death snapped.

Blue eyes opened wide in fear and realization. "The devil…" he whispered to himself. Anger burned in his heart. Getting to his feet, the cook leaned down to kiss Nami's hand. Then he turned to the dark man. "Take me to her," he demanded.

* * *

 _A/N: Music for this chapter is Hysteria by **Muse** and Lights Out by **Royal Blood**._


	7. One Last Miracle

Outside, the first rays of light began to come up over the horizon. Sanji took long strides through the tangerine grove, wanting to get away from the house as soon as possible. It would have been difficult to explain why there were two corpses in the same bed, one of which had been buried at sea over a year ago. Another wave of sickness washed over the cook as he thought of Nami-san's lifeless body in his arms. The memory made him double over and kneel to the ground in pain. How the hell did this happen? Someone he wanted so desperately to protect throughout his life that she even caused him to come back after death, and he ended up being the one to murder her. Wasn't that what he was planning in the first place, though? Wasn't he going to turn her into what he was? A vicious demon that couldn't even control his own appetite. A creature that couldn't even remain aware enough to see that he was killing his love.

 _…"_ _Take me to her," he had told Death after finding Nami-san was dead. He wanted to save her. Instead Death only laughed at his stupidity._

 _"_ _What the hell makes you think you can go see her?!" The shadowy figure was even colder than usual. "You're immortal. You can't die again. You die again, that's it. No soul left."…_

Tears fell to the ground under one of the tangerine trees. Sanji clawed at the dirt in frustration. Was there really nothing he could do now? There was no point remaining in this world knowing that Nami-san was no longer in it.

"What a sorry sack of shit you are," Death bitterly commented. His black cloak appeared a few feet in front of the blond.

"Leave me alone," Sanji replied. The anguish was heavy in his voice.

The dark messenger sighed. "You're hopeless, you know that?" The cook didn't respond. "Fine! But this is the only time I'm going to do this! It's just because I feel sorry for you!"

"I don't need your sympathy," Sanji retorted, but he felt a bony grasp on the back of his shirt collar. Next was the strange sensation of being separated from his body again. Death held his soul up by the scruff of the neck like a puppy.

"You want to see the devil? I'll take you to him," the cloaked figure took off at a supernatural speed into the realm of the dead, dragging Sanji's soul behind him. "We need to hurry though. The longer you're away from your corpse, the quicker it will lose its demon powers and begin to decompose. Then you'll spend an eternity in limbo and that's worse than any hell you can imagine!"

…

Back in the darkly lit "office" in hell, Sanji slowly approached the large mahogany desk. Wearing the same appearance of a young man with slicked back hair, the devil did not look pleased to see the cook. "I'm here to see Nami-san," the blond explained. "I know that there was a contract, but she doesn't deserve to be here."

"Hmmph," the evil deity responded, arms crossed. His dark eyes appeared to be glowing red. His mouth was pressed into a thin line. Sanji couldn't figure out why he would be so upset. "Let me ask you something, Black Leg," the devil finally spoke. "When I put that clause in your contract about me getting the cat burglar if you failed to find a partner, do you think I just wanted a doll that resembled her?"

Sanji shook his head in confusion. "Look!" the devil raised his voice and snapped his fingers. A light came on in the corner of the room. Nami's soul sat in a simple wooden chair, unmoving. Her face was expressionless. "Fucking look at her, Vinsmoke Sanji! She's a vegetable!"

The cook ran up and knelt in front of her. Grabbing her hands, he looked up at the former navigator. "Nami-san, it's me! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry!" No response. He cupped her face in his left hand and turned her gaze towards him. Her eyes were blank, lifeless, void of any of the familiar warmth Sanji had loved from the moment he first saw her in the Baratie. "What happened to her?" He looked over his shoulder at the devil. "What did you do to her?!"

"ME?!" the deity snarled and pointed at the woman. "That's all your doing, you sick fuck! You devoured her soul! That shell is all that's left of her!" He slammed his fist down on his desk. "What kind of sick bastard 'protects' the love of his life by completely removing any trace of the person she was?! She was supposed to be fiery! She was supposed to be spirited! She was supposed to be **fun** to break!" Turning his back, the devil straightened his black suit and smoothed back his hair in attempt to regain his composure. "And people think my tastes are fucked up…" he muttered.

With a sigh, Sanji got to his feet and picked up the remains of Nami's soul. She leaned in against his chest and he kissed her forehead. "I'll find a way to make up for this," he quietly promised to her. Then he turned to the devil. "I'm taking her," the cook stated.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" the devil didn't bother to turn around. He shooed away the guest. "There's no point in keeping her. It's no fun if they don't scream." Sanji turned to leave when the deity warned, "You still only have 5 days left to find a partner. Otherwise, I'll smite you. You'll be nothing but a shit stain on that world." He let out a dark laugh, "Believe me, after this mess, nothing would give me more pleasure."

…

With the help of Death leading the way, Sanji carried Nami from hell to purgatory. "What do you plan to do with her," the cloaked figure asked. "You don't have the power to bring her back to her body."

"I'm not taking her back to her body," the cook stated. He gently squeezed her soul in his arms. "I've got a different idea… Can you take me to the gates of heaven?"

The dark messenger coughed and spat in disbelief. "What?! What are you going to do there?!"

"I'm going to take Nami-san to where she belongs," Sanji replied.

…

The bleak surroundings of purgatory began to turn to light. A bright figure was waiting on the border of heaven to meet the travelers. "This is as far as I'm going to go," Death informed the blond. "You can go the rest of the way on your own. But don't try to go in there," he warned. "Your damned soul will be burned to ash."

Sanji swallowed and continued to carry Nami to the edge. As he approached, he noticed the figure was that of a woman. The blonde hair and kind blue eyes were immediately familiar. "Mom.." he whispered in disbelief.

"Hello Sanji," Sora smiled at her son. She was just as beautiful as the cook remembered her. The woman looked at the spiritless Nami in his arms. "Trouble seems to follow you even in the afterlife, doesn't it."

"I-I didn't mean to…" Sanji stumbled. He didn't even know where to begin to explain himself. There were so many mistakes and misjudgments he made at the end of his life and in death. For once, he wanted to do something right. Frustrated, tears welled up in his eyes. "Can you save her?"

"She'll be well-cared for here." Taking Nami into her arms, Sora tried to comfort the cook. "You've always been such a sweet boy, Sanji," she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Don't ever let go of that."

"Thank you, Mom," he said softly. Then he watched as she carried Nami into the light. With a heavy heart, he walked back to Death. "I'm ready to go back now."


	8. The Other Path

_"_ _Are you sure you want to go back? The devil will be coming for you in a few days if you don't find a partner." Concern wasn't Death's strong suit._

 _"_ _As long as Nami-san is fine, it doesn't matter," the cook replied honestly. "It's how it should be." …_

…

Upon returning to his body, Sanji was surrounded by darkness. _Where am I?_ … This situation was all too familiar. He was about to kick at his surroundings again when he heard voices. They were muffled, but he could make out the words.

"So she was found in her bed?" an older man asked.

"Yeah, there was a strange bite mark on her neck," a woman about the same age replied.

"What was she doing in bed that she would have been bitten, hmm?" the man commented. Sanji didn't like the salacious tone in his voice.

"That's not the weirdest thing, though!" the woman added.

"Oh yeah… The other corpse," the man remarked. ' _Other corpse'?!_ "What's the story behind that one?"

"Nojiko found him in the tangerine grove!" The woman became more excitable.

"So what?" The man didn't seem to be impressed. "Was he Nami's lover? Was he the one who gave her the bite mark?"

"No! Well…" the woman seemed unsure. "Nojiko said her sister was in love with him, but he died at sea over a year ago!" Sanji's eyes opened wide in surprise. "How could his body find its way here?!"

"Huh…" the man was trying to mask his fear. "So that's why Nojiko said to bury him next to Nami's grave?"

"I think it's kind of romantic," the woman wistfully commented. "Even if it is kind of morbid."

"You've been reading too many romance novels," the man replied. "Come on. We need to go prepare the cart to carry these caskets to the gravesite tomorrow."

 _Gravesite?! Where the hell am I?!_ Sanji listened carefully until the two people left. The he pushed at his surroundings. Surprisingly, the top of the casket came off with ease. It must have not been secured yet. Sitting up, the cook looked around.

The small room was dark. It looked more like a closet. Then he noticed a curtain. Maybe he was in a sectioned off area? Quietly climbing out of the casket, Sanji opened the curtain to find a funeral parlor. Moonlight filtered into the room from the windows, but the cook had difficulty focusing his vision. He rubbed his eyes and walked into the parlor.

In the center of the room was another casket. The lid laid half open. Slowly approaching the container, Sanji first noticed the cream-colored silk gown on the body. It was a warm contrast to the pale skin it covered. Delicate fingers were wrapped around the stems of two sunflowers. Ginger hair curled down in waves around her collarbone and breasts. Her face was left in a peaceful expression. Even in death, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

The cook's vision blurred again, and he looked away. _What's wrong with my eyes?_ When it came back, he reached to touch Nami's lips. Then he noticed his wrinkled, decomposing hand. Revolted, he pulled it away and searched for a mirror. _"What happened to me?!"_ he tried to whisper, but his jaw failed to move. After searching several drawers, he managed to find a hairbrush with enough of a reflective surface on the back for him to see his appearance. Cloudy bloodshot eyes stared back at him. His face looked wrinkled and mummified. Fangs shown behind pulled back lips. With a gasp, he dropped the brush and backed into the casket carrying Nami.

 _"_ _The longer you're away from your corpse, the quicker it will lose its demon powers and begin to decompose,"_ Death had warned him when his soul left his body a second time. _How long was I gone for?!_ Sanji looked at his withered hands. Would there be any way for him to heal from this? Then it dawned on him. He wasn't planning to live much longer anyways. The devil would be coming in a few days to incinerate him. He looked down at the casket behind him and made a grim decision.

The next hour or two was spent searching for heavy rocks and bricks outside. Sanji didn't dare venture far from the funeral home. Although it was the dead of night, he didn't want to risk being found in the state he was in. Returning to his casket, he weighted the container with enough objects until it felt as if his own body was in it. Then he replaced the lid, this time securing it so that no one would be curious enough to see if his corpse was still inside. Finally, he came back to the other casket.

 _I'm sorry, Nami-san. If you saw me doing this, you would probably hit me and call me a pervert._ The cook opened the lid enough to climb into the casket. Despite her body being stiff from rigor mortis, Sanji managed to wrap his arm underneath the navigator and push her corpse over enough for him to comfortably lay down next to her. _You may think I'm morbid, but I'll be ash in a few days. I would rather spend my remaining time with you._ His free hand reached for the lid and pulled in closed.

…

Following the burial the next morning, Sanji lost track of time. He didn't know how long he had until the devil would come for him. His moments were spent alternating between odd dreams and long reflections on his life. With the end being all that was waiting for him, he tried to make peace with his troubled thoughts. The only regret he had was murdering Nami-san. As long as her soul was safe now, he didn't mind being eradicated. So all he had to do was wait…

3 days passed… It was near midnight, but Sanji couldn't tell from six feet underground. Asleep, his forehead rested against Nami's temple. He had a strange, bright orange dream of chasing her around tangerine trees. Her gown flowed behind her as she ran barefoot through the grove. Every time the cook thought he had finally caught her, she would turn a corner behind another tree trunk and was gone. Finally, he found her, wrapping his arms around her. The silk fabric of her dress was smooth under his palm and he felt every small movement her body made. Then he awoke with a start in the darkness. His arms were still wrapped around her. He could've sworn he felt her move… But that would be impossible. She was dead.

There was a strange rustle that shook the casket. Maybe that was why he thought she moved? _An earthquake?_ Sanji couldn't think of any other explanation. Until a red, clawed hand crashed through the casket lid, grabbed the cook by the throat, and roughly pulled him out of the grave. It took several seconds for his eyes to focus after being in the dark for so long, but when they did he saw that he was face-to-face with the devil's beast form.

The evil deity snarled at him. Large fangs glistened in the moonlight. "I hope you're ready to die now, Vinsmoke Sanji," the large beast growled at him. "I've been looking forward to this for days!"

Sanji closed his eyes, accepting his fate. But instead of meeting death, the cook was taken by surprise when the devil released his grip and toppled to the ground. Falling off to the side, he looked back to see what happened. A delicate pale hand that he last saw wrapped around two sunflowers now had a strong hold on the ankle of the beast's hooved foot.

Clawing her way to the surface, Nami erupted from the ground in a fury. Dirt clung to her hair and black horns curled downwards from her head, but Sanji recognized that temper anywhere. Growling, the former navigator grabbed the devil by the wrist. Then she stomped her right foot down on his shoulder socket, immediately dislocating his arm. The limb landed limply back on the ground with a sickening thud. The beast howled in pain, "You bitch!"

"What, you thought I couldn't hear all of the disgusting things you said about me after I died? Asshole," she replied.

"I'll destroy you!" the beast bellowed.

Nami laughed at him. "I know that you have no power over fallen angels. You can't touch me," she taunted and stuck out her tongue. Then folding her arms, she narrowed her eyes at the deity. "Leave Sanji-kun alone and go back to hell," she commanded. "Unless you want me to dislocate the other arm? " The devil only grunted in response and disappeared in a cloud of black ash.

After she was certain he was gone, Nami sighed with relief. Then she looked to the cook. "Sanji-kun," she called as she ran up to him. "Sanji-kun, are you okay?" She knelt down in front of him and cupped his face in her hands. "Can you hear me?"

All he could do was stare at her in awe. He didn't think he would ever see her move again. The warmth had returned to her eyes. Finally finding his voice, he whispered, "Nami-san, you're alive?"

Gently taking his hand, she placed it on her chest and held it over her heart. No heartbeat. "Only as 'alive' as you are," she explained softly.

"H-How…" he questioned. His fingers spread out across her skin. Her body was the same temperature as his. "I left you in heaven," he commented.

"Your mother and Bell-mere-san helped me regain my memories and repair my soul," she clarified, "but they saw how unhappy I was without you. I knew what you did for me." Sanji frowned, but Nami continued, "I couldn't just sit by and watch you get destroyed."

"Nami-san, you should have let me die," Sanji said with a sad tone. "I'm decomposing. I can't continue like this."

Grabbing his other hand, Nami kissed his knuckles and replied, "You look fine to me." Sanji stared at his hands. Aside from the remaining burn scar on his right hand, they were fully restored. "You were with me when I transformed," the navigator explained. "Your body healed, too."

Overcome with emotion, the cook reached for her and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm so sorry for all of this, Nami-san," his voice was muffled as he buried his face against her neck and hair. "You're the only woman I would go to hell for."

"You're the only man I would leave heaven for," the navigator replied with a smile. She combed some of the dirt out of his hair with her fingers. "You have an eternity to make it up to me." She pulled back enough to look him in the eyes. "Deal?"

"Deal," he promised with a kiss.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Next chapter is an epilogue._ ^^/


	9. Midnight - Epilogue

277 years later, Halloween night…

Time was kind to the two demons. Nami's temper mellowed over the years. Now, instead of getting angry, she tended to laugh at everything. For his part, Sanji had mellowed as well. Although still very much the romantic, he became more reserved with displaying his emotions and affections. Long gone were the heart eyes, except on the occasion that the navigator would floor him with her outfit…

"N-Nami-swaa〜n!" A flurry of hearts popped up over the blond's head as he spun over to his female companion. She was leaping to the treetops to join him when he spotted her. "Nami-swan, you're so beautiful!" He held out his hand for her, watching her climb the last few branches without getting the open cage at the front of her dress tangled in anything.

"Thank you," she replied, taking his hand. When she was close enough, she straightened his blue bowtie. "Any luck?" she questioned, referring to any prey in the area. It was 8 days since they last fed.

"Oh!" Sanji became excitable. "Nami-san, do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Hmm?" She shook her head, confused. "Why would you ask?"

"Look," the cook pointed down to the small pirate crew setting up for a party.

Upon spotting the two members who appeared to be identical to the demons, Nami gasped. "Aww~! They're so young! " She turned to Sanji. "Can we feed on them?"

"You take mine and I'll take yours," he offered. He was about to leap down from the treetop to stalk after the red-haired doppelganger when Nami called to him.

"Sanji-kun! Be careful," she warned him. Then she smiled. "You know how weak you are against women."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "If she's anything like you, she won't be able to resist me." He winked and leapt out of the tree.

Nami only giggled in response. "We'll see…" she commented to herself and jumped out of the tree to go after the devil costumed doppelganger.

* * *

 _Continued in my fanfic Midnight…_

 _A/N: Thank you for reading! Happy Halloween! ^^/_


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